fnPrime™ is our new member community. Each month, new resources will be available to help facility professionals advance their careers, save their organizations money, and tackle key trends facing the industry. See what's in it for you.

Dorm Upgrades Force Out Students

One of the toughest challenges for maintenance and engineering manager is addressing deferred maintenance in institutional and commercial facilities. When maintenance begins to pile up, it can be hard to find the funds, time and staff to make the needed repairs.

Consider Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, which is making much-needed repairs to its University Suites residence hall and, as a result, is temporarily relocating some students while the work is being completed.

The repair work is being funded by a $20 million capital projects loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), according to DailyAdvance.com. Because of funding secured through the loan, the university is addressing projects earmarked for renovation and repair, including repairs to some of the university’s other residence halls.

The USDA loan addresses urgent needs for ECSU in terms of deferred maintenance, according to ECSU officials. University Suites has been identified as needing immediate repair.

Over the years, building seals and other mechanisms have failed in select rooms, and water has infiltrated the building. Years of deferred maintenance contributed to the situation, and recent weather, including a hurricane, have exacerbated the building’s condition.

To fully repair the building, a small number of students will be relocated temporarily from University Suites. University officials have identified alternative housing on and off campus to assist with relocation efforts.